Aikman says Jimmy Johnson deserves Cowboys honor

FILE PHOTO: Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman introduces a performance by Alan Jackson at the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Arlington, Texas April 19, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Dallas Cowboys: Former Cowboys executive Gil Brandt became the 22nd member of the team’s Ring of Honor last Thursday. Troy Aikman, one of the 22, wants a 23rd member to join the select company. That’s his former coach, Jimmy Johnson, who led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles in five seasons as the head coach. “I do know that not being in the Cowboys Ring of Honor is a major disappointment to him,” Aikman told radio station 1310 The Ticket. “It’s a major disappointment to me, for that matter. The guy turned the franchise around and brought back America’s Team and made the Cowboys relevant again. I ran into a lot of people when we began to win and they said they were big Cowboys fans, but that stadium was not selling out in 1989. It probably wasn’t in ‘88 the year before I got there either. Jimmy was a big part. He certainly was an architect of putting together those teams and drafting those players that you could argue was maybe the most talent in the history of our sport.”

New York Giants: The Giants might not listen to his opinion as they plan for 2019 and beyond, but one New York Super Bowl-winning quarterback had a strong endorsement of another New York Super Bowl-winning quarterback. “I’d have him on my team anytime, any game, any type of game,” New York Jets legend Joe Namath said to MSG about Eli Manning. “Between the lines on the grass or outside on the street — I think he’s a winner. I know he’s tough.” Namath added: “I think they need a team, they need more players. When you’re asking me about building around a quarterback … with Lady Luck on his side, you can get up into your 40s and still be productive. I still think Eli has a few more years left in him where he can be productive.”

Philadelphia Eagles: The brother of second-year defensive end Derek Barnett was killed in a hit-and-run in Nashville, Tenn., on Tuesday, The Tennessean reported. Police in Nashville said 33-year-old David Barnett died as a result of a crash at 3:25 a.m. Felipe Castelblanco, 47, was charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication in the head-on collision, the newspaper reported. Derek Barnett has been on the injured reserve list since he had shoulder surgery in late October. He had 19 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks on the season.

Washington Redskins: Quarterback Colt McCoy had surgery on his broken right leg and already has been ruled out for the season. But is he really? Coach Jay Gruden announced the surgery and said it was successful, adding it was “wishful thinking” that he could be back in two to three weeks, with four weeks more likely, according to NBC Sports Washington. The Redskins sit 6-6 in the NFC East, just a game behind Dallas for the division lead, and haven’t been mathematically eliminated. If the QB combo of Mark Sanchez and Josh Johnson can get the Redskins to the playoffs, it isn’t impossible to think McCoy could be back. Until then, McCoy and starting quarterback Alex Smith, whom McCoy replaced when Smith suffered a devastating leg injury in Week 11, can offer guidance to Sanchez and Johnson.